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Sunday, August 15, 2010

Yeah I've been MIA. Not really in the mood for blogging...each post that comes to mind just feels like too much of an effort to construct. So apologies in advance if this post makes no sense.

Anyway...I've started the procedure to defer my thesis submission. I felt my stomach do somersaults when I clicked on the request page...I felt like a big fat fail whale. I mean four years on this bloody thing and I'm still not done?! WTF. Anyway, the sup doesn't seem too bothered about it, so I guess it's not all bad news. The fact that I have to finish before my visa runs out at the end of Jan, however, is another matter. Nose to the grindstone, pedal to the metal, and so on so forth.

Which is all well and good, except for the fact that I'm taking a week off next month to go travelling. No it's not entirely my decision, and no the timing couldn't have been worse, but let me explain. The parental unit is visiting Switzerland next month, on work. It's far too expensive for them to add a stopover here, and to be fair it's not worth the hassle. So I'm going there. So far so good. Except that Switzerland only bloody went and joined the Schengen zone two years back! So I need a visa. Now if you've been following this blog since before the dawn of time, you'll remember that I've been to Geneva before, when there was no visa requirement. £75 for a visa to a place that I've been before? Not cool. But wait...with a Schengen visa, I have free passage through all Schengen states...which means I can go to Geneva via...(wait for it)...PARIS!!! So oui, mes amis, I will be off to Paris in a few weeks' time - 3 nights there, and then on to Geneva for 4 nights with my mummy and daddy. My mother has major plans that involve us working on my CV. Oh dear.

I'm quite excited about exploring Paris on my own. No I don't speak a word of (useful) French, apart from "Parlez-vous Anglais?"...but I've been assured that the locals are a lot more accommodating of us ignoramuses than they used to be. Three whole days isn't a lot, but hopefully it should be enough to cover the basics - Eiffel Tower, Sacré Coeur, Notre Dame etc. I should probably get a guide book or something. And I should probably also tell the sup. Hmm.

So...what else? Oh my mobile contract's up so I'm thinking of going in for a new phone...all the normal nokias seem inferior to my wonderful 6300, so I think I might go for the 5230. The ovi maps will come in handy in Paris! My computer's being a dramaqueen. Keeps messing up some updates. I need to sort it out soon...but not before I backup everything thesis-related. Stupid technology.

Oh and I've developed a love for dubstep. I used to hate dubstep...it was too slow, too hypnotic. I much preferred the fast-paced intensity of dnb. But now dubstep is my friend. Well a few songs at least - notably 'I Need Air' by Magnetic Man, 'Rescue Me' by Skepta and the song I'm listening to now (on repeat) - 'Katy on a Mission' by Katy B. Check 'em out.

And I think that's it. All that's left is for me to go get another slice of cheesecake (as featured here in my Project 365) and get back to my 'Materials and Methods' chapter. Yawn.

We cramped in so many, many places within a span of about 12 hours in two days so while you'll be exhausted, it's beautiful and you'll love it. Be warned, the smell of pee is pretty strong around that part of the world: human and canine.

Sach - Hehe this is me we're talking about...it's impossible for me not to take photos! :D

Gehan - Well considering my current mp3 player is a 512MB 1st Gen iPod Shuffle, any sorting would be better than no sorting at all! I haven't tried yet, but I think I can use Windows Media Player for syncing, so it should be fine. Thanks for the heads up though!Also, I can use Ovi maps offline (and therefore not pay roaming charges), so it kinda trumps Google in this case.Yeah seriously...Schengen charges are insane. And VFS taking over the world means it's even more expensive! *sigh*

Me-shak - Hehe I hope not! And I'm glad you're enjoying the 365!

Scrumps - :D Isn't the Katy B track just A-MEZZ-IN?!

Cadence - Yup all are on the list :-) And yeah I will go to the Louvre...just need to find some time to organise my itinerary!

Penny Says - Haha if you can get yourself there, by all means :D Thanks :-)

Sabby - pas de...moka? :D Hehe yeah I'm quite efficient when sightseeing by myself, so I'm pretty confident that I'll be able to cover the good bits...as long as it doesn't rain :-| (which, to be fair, it probably will). Ah thanks for the tip...shall compare it to Naples (which was extremely pee-y in places). Hmm...French men don't really do it for me, but we'll see...